This invention relates generally to an analog electronic timepiece of the type having hands including a second hand and more particularly to a timepiece which efficiently utilizes the energy stored in the power supply battery to drive the hands. Analog timepieces are generally driven by a stepper motor which connects to the hands through a gear train. The motor is driven electrically by application of voltage pulses having sufficient width to assure that the gear train drives the second hand at the rate of one second per second. The load on the stepper motor varies for many reasons, for examples, as the timepiece becomes older friction increases. At lower temperatures viscosity of the lubricating oil increases, and additional functions such as a date dial may require advancement, adding a load on the motor. In the prior art the driving pulse applied to the stepper motor is sufficiently long in duration so that the worst of these conditions is adequately met and the second hand advances reliably. This is wasteful in that under more favorable conditions, a shorter pulse width and less electrical energy, are required to advance the gear train and hands. Nevertheless, a margin of safety is maintained in the driving pulse width to assure proper hand advancement and power is wasted.
What is needed is an analog electronic timepiece which normally operates on a narrower width driving pulse, yet provides automatic corrective measures whenever the original pulse is inadequate to properly advance the hands.